In 2023 I was commissioned to do special effects for an independent horror film titled “Kombucha!” from TakeCare Productions directed by Jake Meyer.

The trailer can be seen here! I was honored to receive the Outstanding Achievement Award for Special Effects and Special Make up at the Indie Short Fest, as well as Best Special Effects at the IndieX Film Fest for my work on this film.

Shrunken Head guy (a.k.a. Harry the Hunter, a.k.a. I.M. Tinyhead) based on the character from Beetlejuice. (2022)
(Photos by Nikki Loehr)

Audrey II/Seymour from Little Shop of Horrors (2019).
(Photos by Nikki Loehr)

Audrey II/Seymour from Little Shop of Horrors (2013).
(Photos by Brittany Mitchell)

This is the Abominable Snow Monster from the 2011 Annoyance Christmas Pageant I directed. I constructed the head in my apartment.

The Bomble was portrayed by Ray mees. In the second photo you can see Jeff Murdock as Sam the Snowman, Ben Palin as Rudolph, Jimmy Pennington as Donner, Emily Fitzpatrick as Ms. Donner and Missy Moreno as Clarice.

In 2014 The Annoyance moved to a new location in Chicago on Clark & Belmont and sadly the old Bomble was lost in the process. Lisa McQueen, directing the 2014 Annoyance Christmas Pageant, asked if I would give another crack at the Bomble Head. I said yes, as I wanted to try out some new technique’s I’d learned, leading to this redesign.

This new Abominable Snow Monster’s head is made of foam rubber, faux fur and fleece. Its shape is kept by dress boning. The front is completely open, allowing for more air to circulate, and the performer wears a black “ninja” hood to keep their face from being seen.

The teeth are removable, and able to be placed back in through magnets.

The Annoyance Christmas Pageant’s first act this year was Charlie Brown Christmas. To make it as different as possible from the second act (Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, based on the Rankin and Bass classic) I constructed the props to appear completely two dimensional.

Snoopy’s Dog House. I used poster paint to ensure that slight streaks would be left, similar to the inking in the original comics. (Or at least the Sunday editions.)

I was commissioned to create props for his musical “Streeterville” about the beginnings of the Chicago Neighborhood. First I was asked to build an old timey turn of the century phone. The handle on the phone is actually connected to a small electric generator inside, giving the phone a unique sound.  It was mostly used by Carter Harrison Jr. (Played by Charley Carrol)

The director also requested a “bourbon still” to be used by the Mayor of Chicago in the show. (All characters are satirical and not meant to reflect the actual historical figures they are based on.)

These are some special effects I did for a show called “The Night the Music Got Killed”, directed by Ray Mees.

Andrew Peyton as Buddy Holly.
The eyeball actually works well for a Zombie look, too.
For a more realistic look, the optic nerve can be shortened.